Waist circumference percentiles for Hispanic-American children and comparison with other international references.

INTRODUCTION: Waist circumference (WC) constitutes an indirect measurement of central obesity in children and adolescents. OBJECTIVE: To provide percentiles of WC for Hispanic-American children and adolescents, and compare them with other international references. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 13 289 healthy children between 6 and 18 years coming from public schools of middle and low socioeconomic levels in different parts of Argentina, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela. The LMS method to calculate WC percentiles was applied. Sex and age differences were assessed using Student's t test and ANOVA (SPSS v.21.0). Comparisons were established with references from the United States, Colombia, India, China, Australia, Kuwait, Germany, Tunisia, Greece, and Portugal. RESULTS: WC increases with age in both sexes. Boys show higher WC in P3, P50, and P97. Comparison of 50th and 90th percentiles among populations from diverse sociocultural and geographical contexts shows high variability, not all justified by the measurement method. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Specific WC percentiles for sex and age, and P90 cut-off points are provided; these values are potentially useful to assess central obesity in Hispanic-American adolescent children.

SUBSCAPULAR AND TRICEPS SKINFOLDS REFERENCE VALUES OF HISPANIC AMERICAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR COMPARISON WITH THE REFERENCE OF CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC).

INTRODUCTION: the assessment of the skinfold thickness is an objective measure of adiposity. Therefore, it is a useful tool for nutritional diagnosis and prevention of metabolic risk associated with excess fat in chilhood and adolescence. OBJECTIVE: to provide percentiles of subscapular and triceps skinfolds for Hispanic American schoolchildren and compare them with those published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from United States, that it have been commonly used as a reference in most of these countries. METHODS: subscapular and triceps skinfolds were measured in 9.973 schoolchildren 4-19 aged from Spain, Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico with Holtain caliper with 0.2 mm accuracy. Percentiles were obtained with the LMS statistical method and were presented in tables divided in stages of 6 months and in curves graphics. The difference between Hispanic American and CDC mean values were provided for P3, P50 and P97 in mm and also were graphically represented. RESULTS: skinfolds measurements obviously increased with age in both sexes but, in boys, this increase is much more marked in highest percentiles between 8 and 13 years; this maximum is reached earlier than what occurs in CDC reference. In both sexes, all percentiles analized in Hispanic American schoolchildren were higher than the CDC reference except P97 up to 10 or 13 years that was notably smaller. CONCLUSIONS: the skinfolds percentiles of Hispanic American children and adolescents differ from CDC that are usually used as reference. The values of subscapular and triceps skinfolds provided in this study, could be applied to populations of a similar ethnic background, especially in comparative studies of body composition.

Introducción: la evaluacion del grosor de los pliegues subcutáneos es una medida objetiva de la adiposidad. Es por tanto una herramienta útil para el diagnóstico nutricional y la prevención del riesgo metabólico asociado al exceso de grasa en la infancia y adolescencia. Objetivo: proporcionar valores percentilares de los pliegues adiposos subcutáneos subescapular y tricipital para escolares hispanoamericanos y compararlos con los valores publicados por los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) de los Estados Unidos, que comunmente se emplean como referencia en estos países. Métodos: se midió el pliegue subescapular y tricipital en 9.973 escolares entre 4 y 19 años procedentes de España, Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela y México con un calibre Holtain de 0,2 mm de precisión. Los percentiles fueron calculados mediante el método estadístico LMS y presentados en tablas divididas en intervalos de seis meses y en gráficos de curvas. La diferencia entre los valores medios hispanoamericanos y los valores del CDC se muestran para el P3, P50 y P97 en mm, y también gráficamente. Resultados: las medidas de los pliegues subcutáneos se incrementan obviamente con la edad pero, en niños, este incremento es mucho más marcado en los percentiles superiores entre los 8 y 13 años; este máximo es alcanzado antes que en la referencia del CDC. En ambos sexos, todos los percentiles analizados fueron superiores en los escolares hispanoamericanos, exceptuando el P97 por encima de los 10 o 13 años, donde resultó notablemente inferior. Conclusiones: los percentiles de pliegues adiposos de los niños y adolescentes hispanoamericanos difieren de la referencia del CDC. Los valores del pliegie subescapular y tricipital proporcionados en este estudio podrían ser aplicados en poblaciones de similar origen étnico, especialmente en estudios comparativos de la composición corporal.

[Diagnostic accuracy of waist to height ratio in screening of overweight and infant obesity]. / Precisión diagnóstica del índice cintura-talla para la identificación del sobrepeso y de la obesidad infantil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To explore the sensitivity and specificity of waist to height index as indicator of overweight and obesity in pediatric age and to obtain cut-off points to simplify the diagnosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two thousand and three hundred and nineteen schoolchildren between 6 and 14 years were analyzed. Anthropometric measures were taken (height, weight, waist circumference and skinfolds thickness), and waist to height ratio (WHR), BMI and fat percentage were calculated. ANOVA test was used to evaluate the performance of anthropometric variables during the growth period. ROC curve analysis (Receiver Operating Characteristics) was applied using WHR as test variable and overweight and obesity status as criterion variable. Overweight and obesity were defined by BMI standards and adiposity references. The sensitivity and specificity values, areas under the curve (AUC), confidence intervals 95%, and cut-offs points were obtained. The statistical and graphical procedure was performed using SPSS(®) 18.0. RESULTS: WHR does not vary with age. AUC ranged from 0.786 to 0.953 indicating that the WHR has a high predictive power to identify the subjects previously classified as overweight or obese using both considered criteria. CONCLUSION: WHR proved to be an appropriate and effective predictor of overweight and obesity in children between 6 and 14 years. Cut-offs points of WHR that identify obesity are: 0.51 in males and 0.50 in girls. For the overweight, cut-offs range between 0.47 and 0.48 depending on sex and the criterion variable.

Situación somatofisiológica y nutricional de los jóvenes inmigrantes en España. Variación según género y procedencia

Los 13 y 14 años del ciclo vital humano son muy sensibles al entorno, por lo que los procesos migratorios y los cambios de condiciones de vida asociados pueden incidir en mayor medida. El objetivo del estudio es caracterizar la situación somática y nutricional de la población adolescente inmigrante de Madrid con la objetividad de la valoración bioantropométrica. Se han evaluado 519 adolescentes escolarizados no nacidos en España. Los muestreos se efectuaron en los centros escolares públicos de la Comunidad de Madrid y se realizaron los siguientes grupos: Muestra control española (38,9%), América Latina (50,9%), Norte de África (4,5%), Asia (3,8%) y Europa del Este (1,9%). La situación ponderal es de Normopeso para el total de la muestra, salvo en los varones de Europa del Este (Sobrepeso). El patrón alimentario reflejó una frecuencia diaria de ingestas de 3,73±0,91, siendo la comida más representada la cena. La calidad de la dieta medida por KidMed mostró que el 10,2% seguía una dieta de baja calidad, el 58,6% presenta una dieta mejorable y el 31,2% óptima. Las mayores puntuaciones se encontraron en el colectivo Magrebí y las más bajas en el Asiático. En todos los grupos se encontró una tendencia al aumento de la ingesta de fruta y verdura en España.

The 13 and 14 years of human life cycle are very sensitive to environment, so that migration and changes in living conditions related may influence further. The aim of this study is to characterize the nutritional and somatic status of the immigrant adolescent population of Madrid with the objectivity of bioanthropometric assessment. 519 adolescent students not born in Spain were evaluated. The sample was taken in the public schools of the Community of Madrid and conducted the following groups: Spanish control sample (38.9%), Latin America (50.9%), Magreb (4.5%), Asia (3.8%) and Eastern Europe (1.9%). The situation is Normal weight for the total sample, except in boys of Eastern Europe (Overweight). The pattern reflected a daily dietary intake of 3.73 ± 0.91, being the dinner the most represented food. The diet quality as measured by KidMed showed that 10.2% followed a low quality diet, 58.6% have a better diet and 31.2% optimal. Higher scores were found in the Magreb group and lowest in Asia. In all groups showed a trend towards increased consumption of fruit and vegetables in Spain.

[Somatophysiologycal and nutritional characterization of teen immigrants in Spain. Variation by gender and origin]. / Situación somatofisiológica y nutricional de los jóvenes inmigrantes en España. Variación según género y procedencia.

The 13 and 14 years of human life cycle are very sensitive to environment, so that migration and changes in living conditions related may influence further. The aim of this study is to characterize the nutritional and somatic status of the immigrant adolescent population of Madrid with the objectivity of bioanthropometric assessment. 519 adolescent students not born in Spain were evaluated. The sample was taken in the public schools of the Community of Madrid and conducted the following groups: Spanish control sample (38.9%), Latin America (50.9%), Magreb (4.5%), Asia (3.8%) and Eastern Europe (1.9%). The situation is Normal weight for the total sample, except in boys of Eastern Europe (Overweight). The pattern reflected a daily dietary intake of 3.73 +/- 0.91, being the dinner the most represented food. The diet quality as measured by KidMed showed that 10.2% followed a low quality diet, 58.6% have a better diet and 31.2% optimal. Higher scores were found in the Magreb group and lowest in Asia. In all groups showed a trend towards increased consumption of fruit and vegetables in Spain.

Maturational profiles and migration in the female adolescent population of Madrid: is there a need for a new perspective?

The aim of this study is to assess anthropometric changes and menstrual cycle characteristics during the maturation process of an adolescent female sample in Madrid, Spain. The new demographic context of Madrid, with a 33.9% of girls coming from Central and South America, makes this study relevant in terms of new epidemiological situations that could possible develop. The sample consists of 284 girls, ages 9 to 16 years, measured and interviewed in four school centres of Madrid. Results show that menarche is slightly earlier in the Spanish girls, but there are no other important differences regarding the characteristics of their menses. However, the Spanish girls have a significantly higher intake of menarcheal pain related drugs. The anthropometric changes accompanying menarche are greater in the immigrants, especially in terms of trunk fatness, leading to an "overweight" characterisation of this sub-sample. These maturational profiles show the need for educational programs, especially focussed on the foreign adolescent population, to cope with health risks related to overweight.

Distribución de la adiposidad en nadadores según categorías de pubertad / Body fat distribution in young swimmers according to pubertal development

La distribución de la adiposidad al igual que otros componentes del físico humano, experimenta cambios a lo largo de la ontogenia. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la distribución de la adiposidad en 178 nadadores venezolanos, clasificados por maduración sexual (prepúber, púber inicial y púber avanzado). Se utilizó el análisis de componentes principales (ACP), a partir de las regresiones lineales de los logaritmos de ocho pliegues de tejido adiposo. En los nadadores se identificaron 3 ACP para el prepúber y púber avanzado y 2 en el inicial. El Primer Componente (PC1) en el prepúber está asociado con la adiposidad total; en inicial y avanzado, indica un patrón de distribución tronco-extremidad que compromete a todos los pliegues del tronco tanto superior como inferior. En las nadadoras se identificaron 2 componentes en el prepúber y 3 en inicial y avanzado, en estas últimas se acumula el mayor porcentaje de varianza (81.5%). Los PC1 en los tres grados de maduración están asociados con la adiposidad total, el Segundo Componente (PC2) indica la distribución tronco-extremidad. La agrupación por categorías de maduración es bastante consistente ya que el patrón de dispersión de las edades cronológicas no genera una variabilidad considerable. La centralidad en los varones se corresponde con la misma tendencia observada en la población no atlética venezolana. Finalmente se establece la necesidad de considerar como variable pivotal cada uno de los estadios de maduración cuya importancia se ha señalado en la detección de talentos de niños y adolescentes.

Report on the natural interruption of pregnancy related to menarche in the population of Madrid.

All cases of spontaneous abortion which were registered between June 1982 and June 1984 in the Ciudad Sanitaria de la Paz have been studied in Madrid (n = 1,259). Together with the women who had miscarriages, a control sample of women (n = 1,016) of similar socioeconomic status and ages was analyzed. The main aim of this study is the analysis of the link between the age of menarche and the incidence of miscarriage, as well as morphological characteristics of women. Our results demonstrate that the average age of menarche is earlier in the sample of women who have a miscarriage (P > .001). When women are classified by early, middle, or late age at menarche, it was observed that, for the sample of women who had a miscarriage, there is a higher percentage of both early and late age at menarche. No significant differences were found in the rest of the morphological variables which were considered. The cycles of women who had miscarriages were more irregular than those in the control group.